Green Ledge, 1972

Ivan Eyre: Personal Mythologies, The Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, 1988, no. 57.

Joan Murray, “Ivan Eyre: Visual Philosopher”, “Ivan Eyre Exposition”, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery, Oshawa, 1980, pages 8-9. Donalda Johnson, “Eyre With Honour”, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, 1994, page 8.

In 1969, Eyre began renting a large room in the old warehouse district of Winnipeg. The view of the western city sky through the large windows of his studio became a vital component in many of his compositions. “Green Ledge” (1972), with its expansive blue sky and angular green-hued forms, provokes mystery and magic, revealing what Joan Murray describes as “an adventure which aims at creating a vivid, though not necessarily understandable universe to present a complex world lucidly.” The artist's commitment to engaging the viewer is evident here; he brings us on “an active journey through his work by creating paths of movement.” Eyre creates pathways for the eyes through his marvelous pointed shapes which twist and overlap within the landscape. He juxtaposes these earth-toned masses with a flat, stylized figure upon a dark background that underscores a tension within the artwork. By skilfully integrating the two dimensional and the three dimensional, he fuses the painted and the real world.